Dart field game



March 31, 1964 LQE 3,126,880

DART FIELD GAME Filed D80. 18, 1961 20 5 2 2 5 )36 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,126,880 DART FIELD GAME Earl E. Lee, Rte. 3, 1808W. 2nd St., Bartlesville, Gkla. Filed Dec. 18, 196i, Ser. No. 160,371 1Claim. (Cl. 124-22) This invention relates to improvements in toys andprovides a novel form of a dart or arrow, a means for projecting thesame, and a series of indicator stakes or ribbon markers for scoring.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved dart and a simplehand-operated throwing device whereby the arrow may be launched intoflight. It is a further object of the invention to provide an arrowwhich can be launched into flight and hurled a considerable distance bythe propulsion of a resilient tension member.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a projectile andtarget game by means of which the skill of a player may be tried anddeveloped.

Further my invention consists in the novel details of construction, inthe combination, connection and arrangement of parts, and in thecooperative effect between projectile, launcher, and target to providean indication of skill of the player or players.

The improved arrow or dart of my invention is characterized by having acylindrical body having one end equipped with a four-way stabilizer andits other end with a metallic point for sticking in the target area. Acordattaching notch is located forward of its center of longitudinalbalance to receive the thrust bead of the launcher or throwing device.The throwing device comprises an elongated member having a grooverunning its full length on top to receive and act as a guide for one ofthe darts stabilizers as the dart travels down the elongated member, ahandle and aiming stabilizer extending from the bottom of said elongatedmember, a tapered end on said grooved member having a flexible cordaffixed thereto, and a notchengaging head or knob formed in the free endof the cord.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, will be bestappreciated when the following detailed description thereof is read withreference to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated what ispresently considered a preferred embodiment of the invention, andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the projecting deviceof my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one form of the dart in accordancewith this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a view partly in cross section of the front or landing endof one embodiment of the dart of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing the apparatus in the hands of theuser with the dart about to be projected; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a single form of a target area.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the projecting device orlauncher 1 comprises a handle 2, a direction stabilizer 3 with itsleading corners angular and its back side rounded to fit the hand asshown in FIGURE 4, the launcher body 4, tapered end 6, dart stabilizerguide 7 flared at firing end of launcher 1 to provide sufficient roomfor the expansion of rubber thrust member 11, distance indicating scale3, and dart thrust means 9 comprising rubber tubing 11, metal connector12, nylon connecting cord 13, holding knots 13a and 13h, thrust bead l4,and staple 17 for attaching said thrust means 9 to tapered end 6 ofprojecting device 1. Knot 13a in the fixed end of cord 13 is held withinthe end of rubber tubing 11 by means of metal connector 12, commonly ashort length of copper tubing that fits around the end of rubber tubing11 and encircled cord 13 and is flattened to clamp around one end oftubing 11 to compress it around nylon connecting cord 13 adjacent knot13a to form a solid connection therebetween. Knot 13b formed in the freeend of cord 13 acts as a stay for thrust bead 14, holding it on cord 13.Dart thrust means 9 attaches to tapered end 6 of projecting device 1 bymeans of staple 17.

The dart 20 shown in FIGURE 2 comprises a landing pin 21, a main bodyportion or shaft 22, a tail or stabilizer 23, and a thrust hook 24located forward of the center of longitudinal balance of dart 20.Landing pin 21 is embedded in the forward end of shaft 22, leaving asharp end exposed for penetration in the target area. The other end ofshaft 22 is notched to hold the stabilizer 23 which is normally held inplace by screws. In a preferred embodiment, stabilizer 23 consists of 4vanes but may have one or more vanes. Dart 20 may be of one-piececonstruction or may be formed of a single shaft with landing pin,stabilizer, and thrust hook attached. Thrust hook 24 normally comprisesa metal hook having a point 24a located diametrically opposite to thehook portion with a screw 24b, normally countersunk to prevent anyinterference with the release of thrust bead 14 on firing, locatedintermediate the end to hold the hook to the shaft 22. Point 24a keepshook 24 from turning around the axis of its screw holder 24!). Inanother embodiment as shown in FIGURE 3, the forward end of shaft 22 isequipped with a cavity 26 fitted with a loose fitting blunt plunger 2?having a spring loaded bearing 31 that positions in groove 32 around theinside periphery of said cavity 26 to keep plunger 29 from falling outin flight. Upon impact on a concerete or hard surface where the use of aconventional pointed dart is not practical, plunger 29 is pushed furtherinto cavity 26 and against spring 27 held within cavity 26 by screw 28to expel the air and any marking powder through holes 33 that has beenplaced within the cavity 26. The dart is easily loaded with the markingpowder by removing plunger 29.

C bviously and as shown the target 36 as depicted in FIGURE 5 may beprovided with scoring areas of different values so that the value ofeach shot may be readily determined, and the values of the hits countedup for determining the final score of each player. As shown in FIGURE 5,the corners of the scoring area may be marked by flags with string orribbon forming the diagonals of the rectangle and a paper, etc., discforming the circular target area.

When playing the game the player or players stand at a predetermineddistance from the location of the target area 36 and shoot darts 2% withprojecting device 1 in the direction of said target 36, the object,intent and purpose being to cause the darts to travel in a trajectoryand land within the higher numbered sections of target 36.

In using projector 1 as shown in FIGURE 4, the player grasps handle 2 inthe left hand with his index finger and thumb curved around directionstabilizer 3 to steady the aiming of dart 26. He grasps one of the darts20 in his right hand by its tail or stabilizer 23 and engages the bead14 in thrust hook 24. The right hand is then drawn back tensioning therubber tubing 11 while one of the vanes of stabilizer 23 rides instabilizer guide 7. When dart 20 has been pulled back far enough asindicated by the distance indicating scale 8 and past experience, thehand is thereupon released from the dart 20. Depending upon the angle ofthe projector 1, dart 20 will be projected into the air by thepropulsion of rubber tubing 11. Dart 20 will rise point foremost intothe air and ascribe an arc to the target area if aimed properly.

The projecting device and dart can be made of wood, metal, plastic, orany of a wide variety of materials and in various shapes and sizes whilestill embodying the features herein set forth. Although I prefer to usesmall natural rubber surgical tubing for the flexible thrust member ofmy invention, any type of material having instantaneous memorycharacteristics would be acceptable and it could be in the form of asingle cord, braid, etc. Also, string, fishing cord, etc. can besubstituted for nylon cord 13 and still remain within the spirit of myinvention.

I claim:

A recreational device comprising a dart having a stabilizer on one endof its shaft and with its forward end equipped With a cavity fitted witha loose fitting blunt plunger having a spring loaded bearing thatpositions in a groove around the inside periphery of said cavity to keepsaid plunger from falling out in flight, said plunger to be forcedbackward on impact and further into said cavity to bear against a springattached to the bottom of said cavity, said plunger to expel the air andany marking powder through holes connecting said cavity With the outersurface of the sides of the forward end of said dart, and a thrust hookintermediate the approximate center of longitudinal balance and saidforward end of said dart, a projector for said dart comprising alongitudinal member having one tapered end, a groove along its length inits topside to act as a guide for the stabilizer of said dart, acylindrical handle extending from the bottom of said longitudinal membersubstantially in termediate its center and said tapered end, adirectional hand stabilizer at the upper end of said handle and attachedto the bottom of said longitudinal member, a dart thrust means attachedto the tapered end of said longitudinal member, said thrust meanscomprising a resilient rubber member having one end attached to saidtapered end, a cord attached to the other end of said rubber member witha bead afiixed to the free end of said cord to engage said thrust hookof said dart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS437,770 Brandenburg Oct. 7, 1890 1,470,934 Ross Oct. 16, 1923 2,109,120Price Feb. 22, 1938 2,559,458 Orr July 3, 1951 2,708,431 Walker May 17,1955 3,006,649 Gesick et al Oct. 31, 1961 3,057,337 Rock et a1. Oct. 9,1962

